The UK's most up-to-date social housing and public sector news website
More from Community Housing Cymru
- Welsh Housing Associations contributed over £400 million pounds to the economy during 2007/08
- Social Housing and Regeneration Debate at the National Eisteddfod
- Community Housing Cymru welcomes Taylor Review on rural economies and affordable housing
- Major boost to Rural Wales welcomed by Welsh leaders
- Financial Inclusion Officer Appointed
Advertisement
Rural Wales has received a major housing boost thanks to a new initiative aimed at increasing the supply of affordable housing.
A network of 10 new rural housing experts has been launched today at the Royal Welsh Showground by Jocelyn Davies, AM, Deputy Minister for Housing to tackle affordable housing for rural Wales, which currently places rural Wales as one of the least affordable housing areas in the UK.
Cllr Aled Roberts (Wrexham), WLGA Spokesperson for Housing said:
Problems of housing affordability now affect the whole of Wales, but the challenges are most severe in rural areas where the sustainability of rural communities is at risk. The creation of this network of rural housing enablers is a very practical initiative that will put affordable homes on the ground for rural communities.
Nick Bennett, Chief Executive of Community Housing Cymru added:
"This new network is a demonstration of what can be done by not for profit housing, local government and the Assembly Government working in partnership to empower rural communities in dire need. It is great to see a recommendation from both the JRF Commission and the Essex Task and Finish Group actioned so quickly."
The Rural Housing Enabler Network will work in partnership with local communities, councils and housing associations across rural Wales to identify local housing need and work with all key partners to find ways to meet that need. They can also play an important role in finding suitable sites for housing development and identifying empty homes that can be brought back into use.
The network is jointly funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, local authorities and their housing partners and will see the creation of six new posts to support the rural communities of Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire, Rural Wrexham and Flintshire, North Powys, Mid Powys and Ynys Môn. Currently, schemes are already set up in Pembrokeshire, Gwynedd and Monmouthshire/South Powys and Conwy/Denbighshire.
